Friday,
February 27
Re-enrollment contracts due
Spirit/Pizza Day
Monday
March 2
Tuition Assistance Applications Due
Saturday
March 7
Westside School 20th Annual
GUNG-HO Spirit Auction
Friday
March 13
Spirit/Pizza Day
Wednesday
March 18
Board Meeting
6:30pm
Thursday
March 19
New Student Contracts Mailed for 2009-2010
Friday
March 20
Movie Night!
February 26, 2009
Auction News! What's Up wit the Online Auction?
Westside Reminders
Pre-K Whale Story
Class Project Display
Spanish Update
Auction News!
What’s up with the Online Auction?
Several people have been asking about the online auction! When will it happen? Will the items be at the hall? What will be online? Well, here are some answers. It will go live tomorrow. You will receive an email with the link, and will have until next Friday, March 6, to bid. Please share this link with friends and family, as it’s open to more than just Westside families. The items sold online will be exclusively online, and you’ll find great items like theater tickets, sports tickets, autographed balls, restaurant certificates, video games, beauty items, and more! We have over 100 different items to choose from. What fun! Keep your eye on your email tomorrow, and let the bidding begin!
Westside Reminders!
Auction RSVP by tomorrow!
Remember, you have until Friday to RSVP for the auction. Click here!
Reenrollment Due tomorrow!
Reenrollment contracts and deposits are due tomorrow, February 27, unless you receive tuition assistance.
Parent Survey
Have you taken the parent survey? There’s still time, just click here.
Whale News from Pre-K
By Claudia Ross-Weston, Pre-K Teacher
Whales are swimming around our classroom. We are studying about the largest animals on earth. The Blue Whale is as long as three big school buses and weighs more than 30 elephants! The tongue alone weighs as much as a young elephant. Even though they are so big they eat some of the smallest animals in the ocean. The krill they eat are the size of a child’s finger. These whales have baleen and strain the large mouthful of water out of their mouths leaving the tasty treat on their giant tongue.
We are also studying about other whales and dolphins that have teeth. These whales eat fish and other animals that swim in the sea. The fastest swimming whales are the Orca or Killer Whales. They have a mouthful of strong round shaped teeth. The largest toothed whale is the Sperm Whale that can dive deep into the ocean. Its favorite meal is the giant squid. Whales communicate by making sounds under the water. They can also determine where other animals and objects are under water by echolocation. Whales and dolphins are very intelligent.
If you see us outside with long pieces of string you will know we are measuring out the lengths of the Orca, the Humpback and the Blue Whales. They measure up to 40, 60 and 100 feet respectively. It would take two of the portables end to end to hold that big Blue Whale! We will also be decorating a large whale to hang in the classroom. Come see it if you get a chance.
If you are interested in perusing more about whales in our local waters be certain to check out The Whale Museum on San Juan Island. It is located at 62 First St in Friday Harbor. You can walk to it from the ferry dock. For further information call (360) 378-5790 or visit the web site www.whale-museum.org.
Check the Westside School Hall Next Week for Class Project Displays!
It's an artwalk! Most classes will have their art projects displayed in the school hall in the main building. They will also be available to check out auction night at the Hall at Fauntleroy! It’s amazing how creative our students and parents can be! Don’t miss out!
Spanish Update
By Ashley Kloess, Spanish teacher
Hola Families!
I hope you all enjoyed mid-winter break. I’ve heard about trips to all sorts of fun places! I continue to be amazed at how quickly our students learn new information and how well they can retain what they learn. Son muy inteligentes!
In preschool, we try to learn two or three new words each class. I don’t want to overwhelm our youngest learners! The preschoolers have learned the words for planet, sun, moon, penguins, and post office words. I like to go back and review previously learned words as well. We have reviewed many old songs and words throughout the year. I usually review something old and present something new each week.
In pre-kindergarten, we spent a lot of time learning weather words and are now focusing on days of the week. My goal is for this age to be able to do the calendar in Spanish. I have begun to ask them what the weather is like and what day it is each class time. We are beginning to learn the names of family members (i.e. brother, sister, mom, dad, etc.) in Spanish.
In Kindergarten, we also learned about the weather, shapes, and are now working on learning the names of various fruits in Spanish. Today, we will sample plátanos (plantains cooked in the way they are served in Central America)!
In first grade, we learned vocabulary pertaining to school. We also learned a new song called, “Somos como las flores” (We are like the flowers). Now we are working on learning the names of everything at a place setting. Next, we’ll learn more kitchen type words since the first graders put on a bakery each spring.
In second grade, we learned school vocabulary words as well. Now we are working on vocabulary relating to communities. Currently, we are learning the names of places. Next, we will study the names of people that are in each of the places we study.
In third grade, we learned vocabulary about the rainforest. This group really enjoyed singing songs they had learned about the rainforest in “Spanglish”. I substituted several Spanish words that they learned about the rainforest into the song. Now we are learning to tell time in Spanish!
In fourth and fifth grade, we have been learning the many uses of the verb “tener” which means, “to have”. This verb can be used to express many feelings and ideas and has many uses. Your student now knows how to say if they are cold/hungry, etc., if they have to do something (like study), and they know how to conjugate this verb in order to say, “I, you, he/she, we, or they have/are”. We are finishing up learning the “que expresiones” which translates to saying “how exciting!” or “what luck!”. These kids know a lot of Spanish! Our next ambition will be to write an all about me book using their new verb, “tener” and previously learned verbs and vocabulary.